Post-Game Talk: Agent Smith | Drai/Kassian/McDavid 3 - Smith 31/33

[McShogun99]

I don't know what it is, but I feel like having Smith back there was the right decision for the Oilers moving forward. The fact he has the whole defence there to discuss puck moving and kind of taking a leadership role makes me very happy to see. I think a lot of people here need to realize Smith is a vocal guy, and I really feel he is a much needed presence on our blueline. Especially when we don't have too much in terms of proven leaders on our defence. Maybe this is what the Oilers defence has been lacking. A voice.

If this video was from 2010 to 2015 they'd be talking about which bar they were planning on going to that night.

 

[McShogun99]

Definitely some positives from this game.

-A goalie who played well, kept us in it when needed and can play the puck like or better than the D. I didn't like the Smith signing, now i hope he continues to be our starter and really question why Calgary let him go, especially seeing how he played in the playoffs.
-Drai was beastly. Kass played like a skilled tough forward. Nuge was great. Neal looked good.
-Bottom 6 was hot garbage 5 v 5 but was really good on the PK. If they can at least contribute that much, it would be a huge gain on our goal differential compared to last year. It would help if we could score more goals, but if we could allow much less to make up for the non goal scoring, that would work too.
-D played OK overall, other than not being able to make a breakout pass.

Smith and Neal bring something they thought they were getting in Lucic. Experience. Their veteran leadership showed in game 1. Just smart plays from guys who have been around the league for a long time. Smith purposely passing the puck to a teammate while nucks were changing was planned. He knew they would get a penalty for that. Just a smart play. Stuff like that is what we need. And his emotion in game 1 like we're playing game 7 of a cup final, that has been lacking as well.

WTF was up with the line blender all night?

Get well Lars.

I think our bottom six will be vastly improved when Sheahan and Jurco come back which will take Haas and Khaira or Granlund out of the lineup and move Nygard into the bottom six. Then we just need a legitimate 3C to take Cave out of the lineup and our bottom six will be really good.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Smith should have an A... he's likely that important to the overall team dynamic out there.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I like Haas... or at least his potential to be a solid top 9 player and at the very minimum a bottom line player that throws in enough offense to counter any defensive issues that a bottom line may have.

I don't think we've been able to learn anything yet from that short stint in his 1st game other than he wasn't bad.

His stat line said he had a hit, a takeaway and 2 faceoff losses in his 2 minutes... so not a lot to go by... but he has decent speed and decent hands (I think) and is supposed to be decent on the PK so I'd actually like to see him get more ice time and either sink or swim before they dump him into the PB or into the AHL.

Jurco I think is going to be poor defensively and likely too inconsistent to be a solid netpositive contributor... but hey I'm very happy to be proven wrong.

Nygard I think will be a solid player... probably borderline top 6/9 player.. but I think he's going to surprise with his defensive skills as well which will keep him on the roster even though his offense isn't likely to be better than just decent.

Granlund already feels like he's going to be a whipping boy in the bottom 6 because people think he's deficient both offensively and defensively... but personally while I don't have great expectations for him... as long as he's better overall than players like Cave/Khaira (which I think he is)... he wins a place in the bottom 6 pretty much by default for now.

Sheahan is another I have low expectations of... I feel he's overrated defensively and he doesn't have a lot of offense in his game either. He might have the highest chance of being a dud along the lines of a Rieder type season where he doesn't meet the expectations that the team/fans have for him.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

It will be interesting to see the dynamic between Smith and Schwartz this season. Smith is a veteran who gets a bit fiery. If Schwartz is as bad as most posters think he is, I could see a serious issue developing there.

If not, Schwartz may not be the pile of dog turd we think he is.

In the video posted above by Rishaug, Smith is probably saying "I'm the goalie coach now".

I don't know what it is, but I feel like having Smith back there was the right decision for the Oilers moving forward. The fact he has the whole defence there to discuss puck moving and kind of taking a leadership role makes me very happy to see. I think a lot of people here need to realize Smith is a vocal guy, and I really feel he is a much needed presence on our blueline. Especially when we don't have too much in terms of proven leaders on our defence. Maybe this is what the Oilers defence has been lacking. A voice.

In the home opener, I could hear a player constantly chatting and talking. I'm 100% sure it was Smith telling his d-men what kind of pressure was coming, time they had, where to be etc. I haven't seen or heard an Oilers goalie communicate like that with his teammates in a long time, if ever.

 

[Aerchon]

It will be interesting to see the dynamic between Smith and Schwartz this season. Smith is a veteran who gets a bit fiery. If Schwartz is as bad as most posters think he is, I could see a serious issue developing there.

If not, Schwartz may not be the pile of dog turd we think he is.

I've heard this maybe Schwartz isn't bad speel too many times.

The nhl is a results based league. Schwartz could be the best coach ever but if his goalies always get worse under his watch he needs to go. Not rocket science.